The Black Factor blog is a useful resource for anyone who is Working While Black. The blog provides strategies for dealing with on-the-job racism and links to important resources. Just because you haven’t been called the “n” word doesn’t mean you don’t have issues! Post your thoughts or send an email to: smarywills@yahoo.com!
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Tuesday, September 21, 2010

IN THE NEWS: MAN UP!

This post isn't related to racism in the workplace, but it is something that I wanted to share. I was watching cable news and saw a story on the upcoming Newsweek cover issue, which is that men are going to have to "man up" and accept that, going forward, they may have to get educated, trained, and work in non-traditional jobs.

To be clear, after this recession, the biggest boom that's expected in the job market over the next 10 years are in jobs for teachers, nurses, home health aides and in other professions that have been historically dominated by female workers.

I recently had a conversation asking what the U.S. would be known for in the future. We've shipped away manufacturing jobs and our automobile industry is dramatically reduced and changed. If you call your bank or other service provider, you're likely to speak to someone in India. On top of jobs going overseas, so many businesses have gone belly up and won't be resurrected.

So, where will the work be?

That's why I was so interested in that TV interview with the two writers of the story.

We will all have to adapt going forward and if anyone is considering going back to school or going into some technical training, it's important to know where the money and stability will be. Our job market is no longer the same. People are still unemployed and underemployed in high numbers. About 1 million people are estimated to have slipped to the poverty line this year alone.

We have to make plans and think about viable jobs for the future. If we can ever get clean-energy technology going, that might lead to lots of jobs in various parts of the country in solar, wind, and clean coal. And, I guess, there's always construction.

But, outside of that, I think it is a good suggestion for men to start looking at more options in the job market. I thought this story was important to share and that some of my male readers might want to go ahead and take a lot at the full Newsweek story.

If you're female, maybe you should drop some hints to the men in your life, particularly if they are having trouble finding/keeping work. The right training may open up different avenues for them. Lord knows this country is ocmpletely understaffed in nursing.